# Peter Sumner

Peter Malcolm Sumner-Potts (29 January 1942 – 22 November 2016), professionally known as Peter Sumner, was an Australian actor, director, and writer. He had a long career in theatre, television, and film.

## Career

His credits include parts in such films as Color Me Dead (1969), Ned Kelly (1970), The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978), The Survivor (1981) and Bush Christmas (1983), as well as a starring role in television series Spyforce along with his portrayal of Bill Hayden in The Dismissal. In an interview in 1978 for the Sir Joseph Banks High School newspaper, he revealed that he had an uncredited role off stage, controlling the Dianoga (garbage compactor monster) in Star Wars, as well as playing the role of Lieutenant Pol Treidum in that film. Sumner played Arnie in the first series of the British science fiction drama television series Jeopardy in 2002, filmed in Australia.
His other local television acting work included regular roles as Bruce Jefferson in Tickled Pink (1978–81), Phillip Seymour in All the Way (1988), Reverend Green in Cluedo (1992), and Les Bailey in Heartbreak High (1997–99), along with numerous guest roles in series including Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, Boney, The Sullivans, Cop Shop, Neighbours, E Street, The Flying Doctors, and Home and Away.
Sumner was a follower of Meher Baba and directed a TV documentary, Baba's Birthday, shot in India, produced by Sensory Image, with music by Pete Townshend. The documentary follows Sumner's son, Luke Sumner, as he journeys to India in search of spiritual meaning.
Sumner was a high-school teacher before he started acting. His wife Lynda Stoner and he remained married until his death.
Sumner also served a stint as a presenter on Play School, mainly acting as a stand-in for John Hamblin.
He died aged 74, after a long illness on 22 November 2016.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Type |
| 1966 | They're a Weird Mob | Bit Part (uncredited) | Feature film |
| 1969 | Color Me Dead | Stanley Phillips | Feature film |
| 1970 | Ned Kelly | Tom Lloyd | Feature film |
| 1972 | The Lady and the Law | | TV movie |
| 1973 | And Millions Will Die | Dixie Hart | TV movie |
| 1974 | Eye of the Spiral | | TV movie |
| 1974 | Human Target | | TV movie |
| 1976 | McManus MPB | Sergeant McManus | TV movie |
| 1977 | Star Wars | Lieutenant Pol Treidum (uncredited) | Feature film |
| 1977 | Kiss and the Ride Ferry | | TV movie |
| 1978 | The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith | Dowie Steed | Feature film |
| 1978 | The King of the Two Day Wonder | Jim Delaney | Feature film |
| 1979 | Middle Age Spread | Reg | Feature film |
| 1980 | Players in the Gallery | Simon Harris | TV movie |
| 1980 | The Department | Robby | TV movie |
| 1981 | Run Rebecca, Run | Mr. Dimitros | Feature film |
| 1981 | The Survivor | Tewson | Feature film |
| 1983 | Bush Christmas | Ben Thompson | Feature film |
| 1984 | The Secret Discovery of Australia | George Collingridge | TV movie |
| 1986 | Shark's Paradise | Cooper | TV movie |
| 1986 | Army Wives | Grant's Father | Feature film |
| 1987 | Hot Ice | Joe Carpenter | TV movie |
| 1992 | Survive the Savage Sea | Buzz | TV movie |
| 1992 | Seeing Red | Gorman | Feature film |
| 1999 | The Dark Redemption | Lieutenant Pol Treidum | Short film - Star Wars fan film |
| 2006 | Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? | Legal Representative 2 | TV movie |
| 2011 | Ektopos | Zebediah | |
| 2012 | Ryder Country | Professor Ed Woodman | |
| 2015 | The Quarantine Hauntings | Dr. Henry Dickenson | Final film role |

### Television

| Year | Film | Role | Type |
| 1965 | My Brother Jack | | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1969, 1970 | Delta | Bill Keegan / Dr Brian Doyle | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1970 | The Link Men | | TV series, season 2, episode 13: A Dress to Die For |
| 1970 | Dynasty | Jim Westlake | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1971-73 | Spyforce | Gunthar Haber | TV series, 41 episodes |
| 1972-73 | Over There | Lieutenant Allison | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1973 | Boney | Sergeant Peter Fuller | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973 | The Comedy Game | | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973, 1974 | The Evil Touch | Richard | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1973-74 | Certain Women | Carl Faber | TV series, 15 episodes |
| 1974 | Matlock Police | Dennis Reid | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974 | Homicide | Kenny Sutton | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974 | A Touch of Reverence | | Miniseries |
| 1974 | Silent Number | Ted Grant / Clifton | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1974 | Play School | Presenter | TV series |
| 1975 | Division 4 | Ron Slater | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1975 | The Sullivans | | |
| 1976 | Luke's Kingdom | Karl Walthausen | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1976 | The Lost Islands | Christian Dobler | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Bluey | Ronald Hamlin | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1977-83 | Cop Shop | Detective Tom Foster | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1978 | Glenview High | Scott Brady | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Catspaw | Flight Lieutenan Harry Sewell | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1978, 1979 | Tickled Pink | Jason Jones / Bruce Jefferson | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1979 | Skyways | Bob Cusack | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1980 | Young Ramsay | Bob Marshall | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1980-82 | Trial by Marriage | Bruce Jefferson | TV series, 13 episodes |
| 1983 | The Dismissal | Treasurer Bill Hayden | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Five Mile Creek | Lucas Morgan | 1 episode |
| 1984 | Special Squad | Nick Hardy | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984 | Carson's Law | John Meadows | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1984, 1992 | A Country Practice | Ray Lennox / Max Wellings / Dr Kenrich | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1986, 1992 | The Flying Doctors | Harry Grant / Phil Buchanan | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1988 | All the Way | Phillip Seymour | Miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 1989 | E Street | Jonathan Bromley | TV series, 10 episodes |
| 1989, 1995 | G.P. | Dr Vince Fisher / Rod | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1990 | Neighbours | Ewan O'Brien | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1991 | Hampton Court | Max | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Sex | Commercial voice | TV special |
| 1992 | Cluedo | Reverend Green | TV series, 21 episodes |
| 1995 | Spellbinder | Mr Kennett | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1997-99 | Heartbreak High | Les Bailey | TV series, 36 episodes |
| 1998 | Moby Dick | Captain Gardiner | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1998 | Murder Call | Bette Fidler / Vic Bamford | TV series, season 2, episode 13: “A Dress to Die For” |
| 1998, 2001 | Water Rats | Carl Sexton / John Barnes | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1999, 2008 | All Saints | Tom Grieve / Miles Bannock / Errol Baumann | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2000 | Home and Away | Edward Dunglass Snr | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2001 | Outriders | Bud Sattler | 4 episodes |
| 2002 | Jeopardy | Arnie | TV series, episodes |
| 2002 | Blue Heelers | Joshua Grieves | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2002 | BackBerner | Professor Norman Twigg | TV series - 1 episode |
| 2003 | Snobs | Doctor | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2004 | Jessica | Rennie | Miniseries (2 part) |
| 2006 | Blue Water High | Teacher | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014 | Rake | Archbishop Thomas | TV series, 1 episode |